5 things we wish "gay Christians" knew about Christianity and the Church

A friend of mine posted a link to this, and so here is my response:

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Here are 5 things we wish "gay Christians" knew about the Christian faith they claim to believe in:

(1) We know you didn't choose to have homosexual temptations, but it's your choice whether you are "gay."

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13) It is one thing to be tempted, another to give in to temptation. When you claim that you did not choose to be gay, you are speaking of your desires. But you do not have to give in to them, for it is your choice whether to act according to or against what you desire.

(2) Homosexuality is sin, and you are broken

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality (οὔτε μαλακοὶ οὔτε ἀρσενοκοῖται), nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God." (1 Cor. 6:9-10). Regardless of how you might have wished that to not be the case, homosexuality is universally judged in the Bible as sin, as wickedness, and that is an objective truth. Nothing any minister or "minister" of the Gospel, nothing any theologian say, can alter that fact. You are not broken because you "are gay." You are broken because of all your sins and unrepentance, of which homosexuality is a grievous sin but not the only grievous sin.

(3) Christ welcomes sinners, but He never condones sin

"Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”(Jn. 3:18-21) That you are a sinner does not preclude you from going to church. You will always be welcome to biblical churches, but you will not be comfortable there. Jesus welcomes all to Him, but He was never once content to leave them in their sins. Jesus was sorrowful as the rich young ruler went away, but He never soften His message of calling all to repentance.

The Church allows for divergent views on various issues, but it cannot do so on what Scripture plainly teaches. On this issue of homosexuality, it is disingenuous that you claim to want to be a part of the church but refuse to realize that what you think is rejection is rejection of the sin you need to part with (see point 2). As per point 1, you are not supposed to be defined by your temptations.

(4) Christ forgives the sins of all who believe, but those who are hardened in their sin show evidences of being unbelievers.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 Jn. 1:8-10) Christ welcomes sinners, as believers are, but Christ never condones sin. Likewise, there is forgiveness of sin offered to all who believe in Him. Yet, those who refuse to reject their sin, those who claim that homosexuality for example is not sin, make God out to be a liar and "His word is not" in them.

In this light, it is utterly blasphemous to say that you are proud of your sexuality and wouldn't want God to change it, seeing it even as a blessing. No Christian will ever say that he is proud of his lying, or proud of his adultery, or that he is proud of his stealing. To say that is to call evil good, and to claim sinlessness of what is truly in fact sin is self-deception and to make God out to be a liar, which casts doubt on whether the person has actually truly repented of his sin unto faith in Christ.

(5) Mortification of the old man is always hard, but necessary

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Col. 3:5) One cannot claim what Scripture claims is sin as a "blessing." Just because the temptations are strong is not a reason to conclude that one is "born that way" and therefore what cannot be beaten must be embraced. Scripture tells us to mortify, or put to death, the old man ("old self"), and nowhere in Scripture are we told that this process of mortification is an easy one. While we do not wish to make it appear near impossibly difficult, as if only super spiritual "saints" could do so, Scripture tells us that it is oftentimes a difficult process involving much suffering and pain (c.f. 1 Peter 2:20).

So just because temptations might be strong does not mean that one should conclude such desires are natural and should be embraced. Mortification of the old man is necessary, and to be done regardless of whether one sees progress even throughout one's life time.